Stock reel for automatic screw machines



Sept. 7, 1943. J. H. MANSFIELD STOCK REEL FOR AUTOMATIC SCREW MACHINES 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 25, 1940 Sept. 7, 1943. J. H. MANSFIELD STOCKREEL FOR AUTOMATIC SCREW MACHINES Filed July 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I I II- Q Q Q machine or moving it away bodily.

Patented Sept. 7, 1943 ,UNl'lED STATES earner OFFHQE STOCK REEL FORAUTOMATIC scnsw .MACHINES' 1 Judson H. Mansfield, Rockford, lit,assignor t Greenlee Bros. & 00., Rockford, lill., a corporation ofIllinois Application July 25, 1940, Serial No. 341,504

13 Claims. This invention relates to metal working ma of the. screwmachine and individually releasable for adjustment away from theirrespective spindles. Y I

A further object is to provide a stock reelcom prising a'plurality ofstock tubesa'nd a pair of heads supporting them, with one of the headsmounted for longitudinal adjustment away from the screw machine andarranged ;for carrying with it all the stock tubes simultaneouslytoafford spaceforwithdrawing the stock pushers and feed tubes from thespindles of thescrew machine without disconnecting the reel from theMore specifically, it is an object of theinvention to provide a stockreel which includes a shaft arranged for connection with the indexinghead of the screw machine and itself supporting a pair of heads which,in turn, support the stock tubes of the reel, one of the heads beingadjustable longitudinally on the shaft by means of interconnectedgearing operable at will, and the stock tubes being detachablyinterlocked with the adjustable head so that they may be readily shiftedout of normal working relation to the spindles of the machine toaffordaccess to rods or bars of stock to be entered in the spindle.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following"detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which: V v

- .Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a stock reel embodying this invention,showing in dotted outline a fragmentary; portion of one end of a screwmachine to indicate the relation of the reel thereto.

Fig. 2 isan end elevation showing the stock reel and the rack member bywhich the outer end of the reel is supported.

Fig. 3is a vertical section taken as indicated at chineshaft towhich itis connected.)

Fig. 4 is a staggered section taken substantially at the planesindicated by line 44 on Fig. 3.

Fig. 5xisa detail section taken as indicated at line 5-5.onFig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a section taken at the plane indicated at line 6-6 on Fig. 2.i y While there is shown in the drawings, and herein described indetailpa preferred form of the invention as embodied in a stock reelmechanism designed for use with a six-spindle. automaticscrew machine,it should be understood that the invention is not limited to thespecific form or application disclosed, but that it is the intention tocover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within thespirit and scope ofthe invention, as expressed in the appended claims, i

As shown in the drawings, the stock, reel is supported atone end of theautomatic screw machine by means of. a pedestal I, having a foot fiangezsecured to the fioor, and alpedestal 3 mounted on a bracket 4 which isformed or provided at the end of the screw machine bed, indicated indotted outline; at '5 in Fig.1; a The reel includes a drive shaft 6which maybe understood as connected to the rotatable spindle carrier orindexing head of the screw machine by means of a flexible coupling ofanysuitable type, including aqdrive flange shown at l. (Aflexiblecoupling is preferred so as to compensate for any misalignmentbetweenthe stock reel shaft 6 and the ma- The shaft 6 engages forrotation the circular head members line 3-3 on Fig. 1 and on a largerscale, show- 8 and 9 which are-rotatably carried by cradles Ill and IIrespectively suppo-rtedon the pedestals I and 3. The head member 8 and9, in turn, carry a plurality of steel; tubes 12 each dimensioned toreceive loosely a rod or bar of the size and, shape which is beingemployed in the screw machine for making a particular product. Each ofthe stock tubes I2 is held in alignment with one of the several hollowspindles of the machine (not shown), and the rod or bar contained ineach tube I2 is fed at intervals therefrom into the aligned hollowspindle by feed mechanism embodied in the index head or carrier of themachine. Such mechanism maybe of the same general type as that shown anddescribed in Patent No. 1,825,749, dated October 6, 1931, although ithappens that this patentillustrates a four-spindle machine, while thestock reel shown herein is designed for a machine having fsix spindlesjournaled inits indexing head or carrier.

It will be understood that each spindle of the screw machine includes acollet structure by which the stock isgripped with its end portion tion;and to enable the operator to do thi in setting up a new supply of stockfor the machine,

he must have a substantial space between the machine and the reel. Hemust have room for grasping the rods which are to be inserted in theseveral collets, and he, must also have additional distance so that therods can be backed- 21 meshing with the teeth of the rack 25, as seen inFig. 4. A hearing 28 is formed on the head 8 for the shaft 29 of thepinion 21, and the shaft has a squared end at 3B accessible through theperiphery of the head 9. The shaft 29 is retained in its bearing 28 bymeans of a threaded stud 3i set into the face of the head 9 and engaginga groove 32 in the shaft. By applying a suitable crank or socket wrenchto the squared end 36 the operator can turn the shaft 29 to cause thepinion 21 to travel along the rack 25 and I thus feed the head 9 backalong the shaft 6 as far away from the machine as desired. When t ecrank or wrench is to be applied to the part 30 for thus shifting thehead 9, the spindle-carrying head of the screw machine will first beindexed or turned to rotate the reel to a position at which the. squaredend 30 of the gear shaft 29 is conup and'then thrust with substantialforce andmomentum into the feed fingers and the collets, and throughthem into working position. To

. provide'this space When needed, each of the tubes I2 is slidably heldin the heads Sand 9 of the reel. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, each tube 12is carried in the head 8 on b-all -bearings I3, the outer bearing raceI4 being secured in the reel by a threaded locking ring I5, and'theinner race It fitting snugly, but slidablyi around the tube I2.Similarly, in'the head Sthe tub 'is carried onball bearings I7, and theinner race I8'slidably engages the tube l2. Each tube I2 has-fixed uponit 'a' locking collar I9, and for each of the tubes the head-9 carries aswinging latch ill which is pivoted at"2'l and is normally held by aspring 22 in position for encounter with th fiat face of the collar I9so asfto retain the tube I2 in projected position closely adjacent thecorresponding spindle (not shown) of the screw'machine. 'Wh'en it isdesired to'slide'the tube I2 back from the spindleto give accessto therod stock in the tube it is only necessary for the-operator to "pressthe projecting finger-piece 23 of the latch so as to swing the latchclear of the collar l9; he ma then slide the tube back-until itsterminal collar 24 strikes the face of the reel head 9.

When the tube is'returned to its normal position the beveled face IS; ofthe'collar I9 engages the beveled surface 20 of the latch, momentarilyforcingthe latch aside so that the collar canbe moved to its finalposition against the surface of the head 9; then'the sprin z zf m returnthe latch to locking position. In order that the tubes I2 may turnfreely on their ball bearings with the stock which they contain,whenever the stock is rotated by the spindles of the screw machine,each: of the latches 20 is checked in its/swing to locking position by apin' 22 which holdsthe latch just out of contact withthetube l2,a 's'seen inFig/3. e H g In a screw machine of the type shown in Patent No..1,825,749 it, is necessary to remove the stock pusher jaws and theirfeed tubes from the spindle wheneverthe size or shape or stock-employedin the machine is changed. Since thefeed tubes carried by the spindlesare considerably longer than the clearance afforded by merely shiftingthe stock'tubes I2,as justdescribedthe head 9 itselff'is constructed sothat it may be shifted toward theleft in Fig. 1, awa fr om the head ofthe s'crew machine, carrying the stock tube I2 with itQto providesufiicient space for this. operation-of changing the stock pushers. Theshaft -6 has a'toothed rack 25 cut in it's cylindrical surface, and thehub 26 or the head 9 houses a pinion veniently disposed, as, forexample, at the upper side of the reel, a in Fig. 3. The rack teeth 25may extend to any suitable distance; as shown in Fig. 1 they are cutinto about one-half the length of the shaft 6. 1

It will be evident that .when the'head Sis thus adjusted toward. thehead 8 of the reel, all the tubes I2 being locked to the head bylmeansof the latches 2i! will be carried along with it, thus providing ampleclearance space between the ends of the tubes and the head of themachine for manipulating the rod stock into working position in thecollet of the spindles. The he'ad 8, on the other hand, will remain inits cradle It, being held therein against axial movement by engage ment'of the bearing rollers 33 in .the'peripheral groove 34 of the head 8.The head 9 differs in that-its peripher 35 is not'grooved (Fig. 6) andwill therefore slide off the bearing rollers 36 on which it is normallycarried in the cradlelll. One. edge of the surface 35 is beveled at 31to facilitate replacing the head 9 on the rollers 36 when it is returnedto normal working position by'reverse rotation of the adjusting shaft 28and its pinion 27. I i Preferably, the reel'structure is reinforced andstiffened by means of 'a web member shown at 38 in Fig. 1, intermediatethe-heads '8 and 9. This web 3'd'is fixed to the shaft 6 and is providedwith ball bearings similar to those in the heads 8 and 9 for supportingthe tubes I2 and permitting their sliding adjustment longitudinal- 1y,as already described. The bearing cradle I0 is steadied by horizontaltie members 39which connect it to the cradle I I, as seen in Fig. 1,andhold it firmly against the frictional thrust of the tubes I2 as they areshifted longitudinally through their bearings 16. And to insure reamtion of the head 8 ,on its bearing rollers when the stock tubes areoperated at high speed, an arcuate member I0 may be connected to thecradle I0 to extend over thehead 8, and may have a bearing roller 33engaged inthe groove 34, as seenin Fig. 2. g H The drawings show thepedestal I formed with a broad base extending transversely of theaxis ofthe reel and having upstanding horns 40 which serve as portions of therack. to hold supplies of stock for use in the reel. The rack iscompleted by a member 4| standing on thefloor adjacent the end ofthemachine bed 5 and havwardly therefrom and into connection .with the.

on the shaft'i engaged for rotation therewith and supporting said tubes,th'e head at the end of the reel adjacent'the machinebeing slidablyadjuston the shaft engaged forrot'ation therewithand supporting saidtubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine beingslidably ad'- justable along the shaft, said shaft being provided withrack teeth, and a gear journaled on said head meshingwith said rack'and'rotatable for feeding the head along the shaft.

2. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaftwith driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexinghead of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel tothe shaft, and a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotationtherewith and supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reeladjacent the machine being adjustable along the shaft and the head andshaft being provided with positively engaged gearing operable to feedthe head in either direction along the shaft.

3. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaftwith driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexinghead of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel tothe shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotation therewithand supporting said tubes, thehead at the end of the reel adjacent themachine being adjustable along the shaft, and means normallyinterlocking the tock tubes withsaid adjustable head for longitudinalmovement therewith, said tubes being longitudinally slidable in theother head.

l. A stock reel for a multiple. spindle screw machine comprising a shaftwith driving means 1 for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexinghead of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel tothe shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotation therewithand supporting said tubes, and bearing means on which said heads arerotatably carried, said bearing means being fixed in relation to themachine, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine beingadjustable along the shaft, means normally interlocking the stock tubeswith said adjustable head for longitudinal movement there-- with, thebearing for the other head having means inter-engaged with said head andpreventing its movement in the direction of the shaft axis, and thestock tubes being longitudinally slidable in said other head.

5. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaftwith driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexinghead of the machine, bearing means by which the other end of the shaftis supported for rotation, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallelto the shaft, a pair of heads on the shaft engaged for rotationtherewith and supporting said tubes, the head at the end of the reeladjacent the machine being adjustable along the shaft, and meansnormally interlocking the stock tubes with said adjustable head forlongitudinal movement therewith.

6. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine comprising a shaftwith driving means for coupling one end of the shaft to the indexinghead of the machine, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel tothe shaft, a pair of heads able along the shaft;- said shaft beingprovided with-rack teeth, a gearjjou'rnaled in said head meshing withsaid rack androtatable for feeding the head along the shaft, hea-ring'means on the adjustable head at their Working positions in relation tothe spindles of the machine, said tubes being longitudinally slidable intheother head, and the bearing means for said other head having meansinter-engaged with said head which prevents its movement in thedirection of the shaft axis.

7. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine connected to theindexing head of the machine for rotation therewith, said reel includinga shaft, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft, apair of heads on the shaft connected thereby for rotation and supportingsaid tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine beingspaced away from the machine by a substantial distance with the endportions of the tubes projecting from the head through said distance andclosely proximate the machine in their working positions, said endportions of the tubes being longitudinally adjustable in said head forretraction from Working position back to said head, and separatelatching means for each tube on one of the heads normally locking thetubes at projected working position but individually releasable at will.c

8. In the combination defined in claim 7, stop means on each tubeengageable with one of the heads to prevent withdrawal of the end of thetube from said head adjacent the machine.

9. In the combination defined in claim '7, a terminal collar on eachtube engageable with said head adjacent the machine to preventwithcollar fixed on each tube in position to engage one of the heads andlimit the extent of projection of the tube toward the machine in workingposition, said collar acting to arrest the tube in position for lockingengagement of the latching means.

, 11. In the combination defined in claim 7, said stock tubes beingslidable bodily in said heads independently of each other toward andfrom their working positions, each tube having a fixed c01- lar whichabuts one of the heads when the tube is at working position and a secondcollar which abuts one of the heads to limit the sliding movement of thetube away from working position and prevents withdrawal of the tube fromthe head adjacent the machine.

12. A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine connected forrotation with the indexing head of the machine, said reel including ashaft, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to the shaft and apair of heads on the shaft connected for rotation thereby and supportingsaid tubes, the stock .tubes being longitudinally slidable in said headsindependently of each other toward and from their working positions inrelation' to the spindles of the machine, a pair of locking members foreach tube comprising a fixed collar which stands adjacent one of theheads when the tube is at working position and a separate latch on saidhead engageable with said collar to hold the'tube at working position,each latch being individually releasable at will to permit sliding thetube away from the spindle of the'machine which it serves, said latchbeing spring-pressed to latching position and one of said lockingmembers having a beveled face causing the latch to ride over the collaras the tube is returned toward the spindle, whereby the tube isautomatically locked in working position. v

13.- A stock reel for a multiple spindle screw machine connected to theindexing head of ,the machine for rotation therewith, said reelincluding a shaft, a plurality of stock tubes extending parallel to thesaid shaft, a pair of heads on the shatt' engaged for rotation therewithand antifric-tion bearings fixedly mounted in said heads and supportingsaid tubes, the head at the end of the reel adjacent the machine beingspaced away from the machine by a substantial distance with the endportions of the tubes projecting from their bearings in the headthroughsaid distance and closely proximate the machine in their workingpositions, the tubes being slidable in their hearings in said head forretraction of said projecting end portions from working position back tosaid head, and stop means preventing withdrawal of they-tubes from saidbearings.

J UDSON H. MANSFIELD.

